The Representatives include Melissa Cerrato (D-Montgomery), Kyle Donahue (D-Lackawanna), Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia), Kyle Mullins (D-Lackawanna), Christiana Sappey (D-Chester), Mandy Steele (D-Allegheny) and Joe Webster (D-Montgomery).
Community Standards
While A.I. data center facilities are critical to our modern economy, they often rely on powerful cooling systems, backup generators, and other industrial equipment that can cause significant disruptions for nearby residents, schools, and community spaces.
Currently, there are no consistent statewide standards that require data centers to mitigate these impacts. This gap leaves communities vulnerable to quality-of-life concerns when facilities are sited nearby.
For these reasons, we will be introducing legislation directing municipalities to regulate data centers and adopt local ordinances to limit harmful impacts on nearby communities.
These ordinances would include provisions for sound barriers, set back distances, building design standards, equipment modifications, and other measures to reduce community disruptions.
If data centers are going to be built in our neighborhoods, they must be sited and regulated with the well-being of nearby residents in mind.
This legislation will:
-- Protect the health and well-being of residents living near data centers.
-- Ensure responsible siting and operation of these facilities.
-- Support sustainable economic development that preserves community quality of life.
Click Here for the co-sponsor memo.
Water Use
A.I. data center facilities often consume substantial amounts of water, primarily for cooling. Larger data centers consume millions of gallons daily, on par with entire communities.
The impact of these massive withdrawals on local water supplies remains unclear, but one thing is certain: we must make sure that our residents, communities, and environment are not disproportionately affected.
New legislation would require covered data center projects with substantial water needs to proactively inform the state prior to construction.
This step will ensure that state agencies, in collaboration with local governments and river basin commissions, can assess potential impacts and ensure adequate considerations are in place to protect our water supplies.
Click Here for the cosponsor memo.
Energy Efficiency
Data centers require an enormous amount of uninterrupted electricity to power computer servers, cooling systems, and supporting infrastructure.
While some companies are working to incorporate energy-efficient technologies, more must be done to mitigate the impacts on utility customers and Pennsylvania’s already strained energy grid.
New legislation will require data centers seeking the state sales tax exemptions to obtain recognized energy efficiency certifications, such as LEED, Energy Star, Green Globes, or International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
This proposal will ensure that only data centers meeting the highest efficiency standards can benefit from state tax incentives.
Data centers that achieved such certifications have seen lower operational costs, improved sustainability, and a stronger market reputation, creating a win-win situation for both businesses and communities.
With this proposal, we can incentivize data centers to operate sustainably, reduce electricity demands, and help meet Pennsylvania’s future energy needs. At the end of the day, the cleanest and cheapest energy is the energy we don’t use.
Click Here for the co-sponsor memo.
Transparency
Without clear reporting, it is difficult for policymakers to fully understand and mitigate impacts on ratepayers, the electric grid, local water supplies, and our environment.
New legislation would require data center developers and end users to disclose the nature of their operations and report energy and water usage to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
Based on this reporting, DCNR would prepare an impact report and make recommendations to the General Assembly on how to address any environmental concerns posed by data centers.
These transparency measures will play a crucial role in protecting our residents, informing sound policy decisions, and safeguarding natural resources for future generations.
Appropriate guardrails can only be applied to this growing industry if residents and policymakers alike have an unrestricted view into data center development and operation.
Click Here for the co-sponsor memo.
Emergency Preparedness
The high-density layout of computing and storage equipment could lead to fast-spreading fires.
The consequences of a data center fire extend beyond service interruptions, loss of data, and threats to facilities; fires of this type pose special hazards to firefighters and other first responders.
Data centers are huge buildings with complex floor plans, ultra-secure perimeters, and high-value equipment that reacts poorly to water.
As such, fighting fires at data centers require specialized training, planning, and cooperation between firefighters and on-site staff such as security and engineering personnel.
New legislation would assist local governments and fire departments in the event of this type of emergency, including requiring data centers to meet the National Fire Protection Association’s standards for energy storage facilities, updated fire plans and coordination with local government and emergency response agencies.
Data center fires are rare. Nonetheless, it is our responsibility to give those on the ground all the tools they need to quickly and safely extinguish data center fires.
Click Here for the co-sponsor memo.
Prevailing Wage
Under Act 25 of 2021, purchases of computer data center equipment are exempt from the Pennsylvania sales and use tax.
While these exemptions are intended to encourage private investment, there are no eligibility requirements that guarantee family-sustaining wages for the men and women who build these facilities.
As a result, public dollars may indirectly subsidize low-wage or out-of-state contractors at the expense of our skilled local workforce.
New legislation would require data center developers to pay the prevailing wage on all construction projects to remain eligible for the state sales tax exemption.
This reform strikes a balance: developers would still have access to incentives to grow in our state, while workers would be protected with fair wages that reflect the going rate in their trades and regions.
Click Here for the co-sponsor memo.
(Photo: Proposed 3,200 acre Homer City A.I. data center campus, Indiana County.)
Related Articles This Week:
-- PA House Members Announced 6-Bill Legislative Package To Promote Responsible Development Of A.I. Data Centers [PaEN]
-- PA Council Of Trout Unlimited Issues Policy Statement Calling For Responsible Development Of A.I. Data Centers, Adopting PennFuture's Model Zoning Ordinance [PaEN]
-- PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In September - Is PA Ready For An A.I. Data Center Boom? [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Homer City Generation Chapter 105 Permit Covering Permanent Loss Of 441 Feet Of Stream To Develop Part Of A.I. Data Center Campus In Indiana County [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Spotlight PA: How Gov. Shapiro Wants To Reshape PJM Regional Grid Operator As Prices Rise
-- PUC Chairman Stephen DeFrank Elected Vice President Of Organization Of PJM Grid Operator States
-- Inside Climate News: PJM Grid Operator Pursues Rule Change To Meet A.I. Data Center Surge, Critics Fear Natural Gas Suppliers Would Benefit From Fast-Track Process
-- Utility Dive: Investor-Owned Electric Utilities Call For Ending ‘Overreliance’ On PJM Capacity Market
-- The Center Square: Leaving PJM Grid Operator A Solution For Surging Electricity Prices Or Power Move?
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: PA Lawmaker Rep. Matzie Seeks Study Of Costs Of Leaving PJM Electric Grid Operator [PDF of Article]
-- The Center Square: A.I. Data Centers And Water - The Next Frontier
-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: How Could A.I. Data Centers Impact Air Quality?
-- PennLive Letter: Gov. Shapiro’s Natural Gas Claims For A.I. Data Centers Don’t Hold Water - By Karen Feridun, Better Path Coalition
-- Scranton Times: Pompey Coal, Settler’s View, Lackawanna Energy Center Natural Gas Power Plant Appeal Jessup A.I. Data Center Zoning Ordinance [PDF of Article]
-- LancasterOnline: Here Are The New Rules Proposed For A.I. Data Centers In Lancaster City [PDF of Article]
-- Scranton Times: Amazon A.I. Data Center Campus Construction In Salem Twp. On ‘Rapid Pace’ In Luzerne County [PDF of Article]
-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Plan To Turn Old Pennhurst State Hospital Into A.I. Data Center Outrages Neighbors In Chester County
-- SW PA Data Centers Working Group: Webinar On Demand- Big Promise or Big Problems? Ethical Considerations for the AI Boom [Presentation Slides, Webinar Q/A ]
-- Solar Energy Industries Assn.: President’s Efforts To Prevent Clean Energy Deployment Have Blocked 125 Gigawatts Of Power From The Grid Just When Demand Is Surging, Driving Up Electricity Prices
[Posted: October 15, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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